This recipe is super simple, but I wanted to post it to let everyone know that it is possible to make pasta salad.....without it being from a box :) Add in plenty of fresh vegetables and it makes for a pretty healthy side dish. Subsitute whole wheat rotini pasta noodles (which is usually how I make it) and it gets even better. Usually when I make this dish, I get comments like, "Oh, you put ____ (fill in random vegetable here) in this????!!! Wow, I never would have thought to do that!" Plus, this dish is an awesome "snacking dish"....meaning.....my husband loves to snack and this is a dish I don't mind him chowing down on.
Pasta Salad
1 box Rotini pasta (tri-colored or whole wheat)
1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing (the amount is according to taste....don't just dump!)
Any fresh vegetables you have on hand, chopped. Some of our favorites are:
tomatoes
cucumbers
celery
onion (any kind)
olives (black or green)
red, green, orange or yellow peppers
mushrooms
broccoli
cauliflower
carrots
Also delicious to add:
parmesan cheese
cheddar, mozzerella or swiss cheese, cut into chunks
cubed ham
deli meat (turkey, ham, etc cut into squares)
pepperoni
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente/firm. You don't want the pasta to be too soft! Drain and rinse pasta under cool water. Drizzle olive oil over the pasta and mix. The oil keeps the pasta from sticking and I highly reccommend using it. Set past aside to cool completely while chopping the vegetables. Mix pasta and vegetables together in large bowl and add dressing according to taste. Enjoy!
Photo Source here
I always make this too!!!! It's a go to recipe and Brandon loves it!! I always get comments on it and when they ask for the recipe I always say, pasta you want, italian dressing, and any veggies you have on hand! Awesome!
ReplyDeleteI am in love with pasta salad. I learned to make it like this from my mom, but sometimes the dressing is too acidic for my tastes...do you have a favorite brand? I started adding Ranch and bacon for my hubby. And I ALWAYS use marinated artichokes, cuz they're yummy.
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